Now that the excitement of Christmas is over, you could be forgiven for thinking there’s nothing to look forward to.

But don’t worry, for all those shopaholics and foodies in Chelmsford there’s plenty to get excited about in 2019.

Chelmsford is a big city now which means there’s the space and opportunity for new businesses to arrive and make themselves known.

Here are five shops and restaurants that should be coming to Chelmsford in 2019:

There are so many dishes to choose from (Image: Song's Buffet)

Song's Buffet

Where will it be? 112 Bond Street, in between The Cotswold Company and Debenhams.

What will it be like? A large restaurant with 200 seats which will serve more than 100 types of food from around the world.

It will measure around 10,000 square foot and have a mix of tables, party areas and couches.

What about the food? The food is all served buffet-style and diners pay one price to help themselves to as much food as they like. Cuisine includes dishes from China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Thailand, Turkey and across Asia. Dishes will include the likes of teppanyaki, dim sum, salt and pepper king prawns, jiao yan squid and pork dumplings.

There will be lunchtime and evening menus seven days a week.

When might it open? The builders are already working inside so it’s expected to be sometime in the early New Year.

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Slim Chickens

Where will it be? 22 Springfield Rd, Chelmsford CM2 6FA

What will it be like? Plans have been submitted to Chelmsford City Council to potentially change the Giraffe restaurant at the back of The Meadows shopping centre. If the plans go ahead, it would be turned into a Slim Chickens restaurant on the same premises with a few changes made inside.

Slim Chickens is an American brand which has recently come over to the UK. There are already two branches in London and one in Cardiff.

What about the food? They sell a variety of foods from chicken wings and buttermilk marinated, hand breaded chicken tenders to chicken sandwiches and veggie sandwiches.

When might it open? It’s not clear but it could well be in the first half of this year.

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Cosy Club

Where will it be? The former Argos site on Springfield Road.

What will it be like? Their website sums up the Cosy Club vibe by saying 'Think mansion splendour meets village hall eccentricity'. They serve everything from breakfasts, family lunches or dinners and double up as a place for a great night out. Their purpose is that "every customer leaves feeling splendid".

When might it open? This is the big question as the planned restaurant development for the old Argos building has been delayed. Originally Wagamama was attached to the project but it opened in Bond Street instead, and GBK was once named too but has now said it is no longer part of the plans. A spokesperson for the development told Essex Live that "vacant possession" was required from Argos in order to progress further.

So, in a nutshell, it could well be next year but there’s no guarantee.

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An artist's impression of how the store might look (Image: Chelmsford City Council)

Aldi

Where will it be? On the Army and Navy roundabout

What will it be like? A huge new Aldi is currently being built on the Army and Navy roundabout in Chelmsford. Work started a few months ago and the shell of the building can clearly be seen. Despite there already being two Aldi supermarkets in the city (in Springfield and at the Clock Tower retail park), a third is clearly warranted as this looks like a big one.

What will it stock? It will stock the usual large range of fresh and packaged produce, as well as alcohol, homewares and toiletries.

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The last empty unit in Bond Street

Mystery shop/restaurant

Where will it be? Unit 4a in Bond Street shopping centre, by the new JoJo Maman Bebe and Jamaica Blue cafe

What will it be like? We don’t know yet but Essex Live has been told that this unit is under offer. It’s in the restaurant quarter of Bond Street but there are also some retail units along this side, so it could be either. We will have to wait and see.

When might it open? The turnaround at Bond Street is usually pretty quick so expect a new arrival in this unit in the next two to three months.